Drill and seed-planter



Patented Aug. 23, I898. n. w. WATT. DRILL AND SEED PLANTER.

(Application filed June 7, 1897.)

2' Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

ZI/NN flifrcam'as;

N0. 609,7l4. Patented Aug. 23, [898. R. W. WATT.

DRILL AND SEED PLANTEB.

(Application filed June 7, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

Fries.

PATENT ROBERT WV. l/VATT, OF HAMBURG, ARKANSAS.

DRILL AND SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,714, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed June 7,1397. Serial No. 639,775. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. WATT, of Hamburg, county of Ashley, and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and Improved Drill and Seed-Planter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in drills and seed-planters; and it consists of the novel combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

To more fully describe my said invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents my-improved drill and seed-planter in side elevation. Fig. 2 represents an inverted plan view of the same with parts broken away, and Fig. 3 represents a central vertical section of the same.

Similar letters refer-to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a suitable frame consisting of the frame-beams a, secured at their forward ends to each side of a tongue or short beam a and braced at the rear, as at a ;Upon this frame is mounted a hopper B, the bottom of which opens into a receptacle B, secured beneath the hopper. The receptacle B is provided with a movable bottom consisting of a plate I), provided with the upwardly-extending side flanges 11 which project into the mouth of the receptacle B. This bottom is held in engagement with the receptacle B" by the spring-arm O, secured to the plate I), as at c, and bolted at its other end to a plate 0 carried by one of the frame-beams. The tension of the spring may be adjusted by the rod 0 which engages the spring and passes upwardly through the plate, where it is provided with the nut 0 Passing through the hopper from side to side and near the center of the same'is the shaft D, having a crank d at one end thereof and outside of said hopper.

Mounted fast onthe shaft D within the hopper is a sector-plate or fan-shaped agitator E, provided with teeth 6 at its lower end and with a head-piece e at its upper end. The toothed portion of the sector extends into a slot 19 formed in a partition-plate 19 located in the upper end of the receptacle B.

Oscillatory motion is imparted to the toothed sector E by connecting the crank cl, by means of the connecting-rod d, to the crank f of a second shaft F, extending across and beneath the frame and journaled in suitable bearings f.

Mounted fast on the shaft F is a sprocketwheel F, which is geared, by means of the chain F to a second sprocket-wheel H, secured fast on a shaft H. This shaft H is journaled in bearings secured to the framebeams aforward of the hopper. Also mounted fast on the shaft H is a wheel G, located be tween the frame-beams.

, The wheel Gr rolls 011 the ground, supporting the seeder and imparting its rotary motion to the shaft H.

Secured fast to the shaft F and preferably to one side of the sprocket-wheel F are a plurality of adj ustably-mounted lugs f which extend beyond the periphery of the sprocket. IThe corners of these lugs are cut away, as at f leaving the central portion f. By revolving the shaft F these lugs are brought successively in engagement with an extension or tongue 6 of the plate I). The lugs f are put into or out of line with the tongue 11 by shifting the shaft F to the right or left by a leverarm K, mounted on a reduced portion of the shaft F and between shoulders or flanges, as at k, and extending upward in the rear of the hopper.

The lever-arm K is fulcrumed at 7t and I normally engages the spring K at its upper end to hold the shaft F and wheel F with lugs f in operative position. The furrow is opened by the plow L, carried by the standard Z, secured to the frame A forward of the wheel G, the seed dropped, and is covered by the two plows L, one secured to and at the rear of each of the frame-beams a. The furrows are further covered and leveled off by the covering-board M, secured by spring-arms m to the rear ends of the frame-beams, the said board being located in the rear ofthe plows L. The seeder is provided with the ordinary handles P, secured to each side ofthe hopper, and is also provided with the usual clevis Q, by which it is drawn.

Assuming that the hopper contains the seed, the operation of the device is as follows: As the seeder advances the plow L opens the furrow and the wheel G follows in the same. The

rotation of the wheel transmits motion to the shaft F through the sprocket-gearing above described, and this shaft in turn transmits an oscillating motion to the shaftD. The toothed sector E is caused thereby to rock back and forth, agitating the seed in the region of the slot 1) into which it extends, and causing the seed in the hopper to descend into the receptacle B. The seed having passed into the receptacle are then dropped therefrom at each time that one of the lugs f comes in contact with the tongue b of the bottom of the receptacle. The lugs f coming thus in contact with the tongue b press the plate 1) down against the tension of the spring-arm O, and thus opens the bottom of the receptacle at intervals dependent upon the space between successive lugs f At each instant that the bottom-plate b is thus pressed away from the receptacle a number of seed are dropped into the furrow, which are covered up by the plows L and coverboard M. If it is desired to stop the operation of dropping the seed without stopping the mot-ion of the device, the lever-arm K is shifted to the right. This will throw the lugs j out of line with the tongue b as explained, and thus stop the seed from dropping.

It will thus be seen that not only is the feeding of the seed uniform, but certain. It will further be seen that the seeder, being free from complexity and multiplicity of parts, will not easily get out of order, and when out of order will not be difficult to repair.

It is obvious also that I may make many changes and modifications in the seeder herein described without departing from the spirit of my invention; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a seed-planter and drill, the combination with a main frame, of a seed-hopper mounted thereon, a receptacle mounted beneath and opening into said hopper, a partition having an aperture therein and located in the upper part of said receptacle, a toothed agitator having its teeth projecting into said aperture, a cranked shaft carrying the same, a second cranked shaft located below the hopper, means for imparting oscillatory motion to the hopper-shaft from the first shaft, a spring-pressed bottom engaging the lower end of said receptacle, and means for periodically moving the said bottom from said receptacle and allowing the seed to fall therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In a seed-planter and drill, the combination with a main frame, of a seed-hopper mounted thereon, a receptacle mounted beneath and opening into said hopper, a partition having an aperture therein and located in the upper portion of the receptacle, a

toothed agitator having its teeth projecting.

into said aperture, a cranked shaft carrying said agitator, a second cranked shaft located below the hopper, the crank of said second shaft being shorter than that of the first shaft, a connecting-rod connecting the. two so that a rotary motion of one shaft imparts an oscillating motion to the other, a spring-pressed bottom engaging the lower end of said receptacle, a plurality of projecting lugs mounted on the shaft below the hopper, means for rotating the said shaft whereby the said lugs are brought successively into engagement with the said bottom pressing it partly away from the said receptacle and allowing the seed to fall, substantially as described.

3. In a seed-planter and drill, the combination with a main frame, of a seed-hopper mounted thereon, a receptacle mounted beneath and opening into said hopper, a slotted partition located in the upper portion of said receptacle, an agitator in the form of a toothed sector having its teeth projecting into the slot of said partition, a spring-pressed bottom closing the lower end of the said receptacle, a shaft carrying said agitator, a second shaft located below the hopper, means for transmitting oscillatory motion to the first shaft from the second, adjustable lugs mounted upon said shaft and adapted to engage the spring-pressed bottom successively as the shaft is revolved, and to press the same away from the receptacle, a sprocket-wheel carried by said lower shaft, a shaft located forward of the said hopper, a sprocket carried by said shaft, a chain connecting the two sprockets, and a driving-wheel mounted on .said forward shaft, substantially as described.

4:. In a seed-planter and drill, the combination with a main frame, of a seed-hopper mounted thereon, a receptacle mounted beneath and opening into said hopper, an agitating feeder carried within said hopper and adapted to feed the seed into said receptacle, a spring-pressed bottom covering the lower end of said receptacle, a wheel having projections around its periphery, said projections adapted to come in contact successively with said bottom and to press it away from said receptacle, a shaft carrying said wheel, means for transmitting motion to the shaft, a lever adapted to shift the said shaft laterally and to bring the said lugs into or out of line with said bottom, plows and a coverer carried by said frame, substantially as described.

ROBT. W. WATT.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. NORMAN, I. W. HEGE. 

